2009年10月28日水曜日

City Wide Gentrifications, Who Really Got Benefited?

During '70s, New York city had really detariorated.When I got here, which was in 1983,Alphabet city, which was the east side of Avenue A of Manhattan,East Harlem and South Bronx were like War zones.After so many fire caused by the arson,those areas looked like the bombed-by-the-airraid zones.And many other areas looked so shabby.

In '80s, the city started the gentrificationsand in '90s, under the Giuliani ministration,it was really intensified.He had cleaned up Time Square Area completely,where used to be a horrible dump,porn theatres, adult stores and peep show places lined up,whores, pimps & pushers loitered all the time,and so many tourists were mugged violently.Miraculously it turned out to be Disneyland looking area within four years or so.Many other areas' gentrifications followedlike 14th street & Union square and Meat market Area.

Over all, New York has become much cleaner and safer,that is definitely great.But besides them, what other aspects of our city lives did they improve?Hmmmm, nothing much.And because of the gentrifications,the rent conditions has become totally out of control,and that has caused the huge price increase on everything.

For the last 20 yeasr, in my area, East Village,the rent has got higher 6-8 times!The price of groceries has, at least, doubled.The subway fare has increased from 50cents to $2.25.

And the minimum pay is still $7,which means, after tax, you bring home less than $1000.

The city let big developers use the public loan with the very low interest.The current mayor, Blomberg, the self-made super rich guy,is seeking for his third term.Today I saw a middle aged, middle class white woman talking on TV,and she said that she believed his business skills would lead this city to the right way.

If you think someone can become that rich only with honest & hard working, you are too naive. And apparently there are too many naive people are living in this city and they will vote for him again.Only the people who know how to manipulate and exploite the system can become rich like Blomberg. And rich poloticians do politics for riches, not for the middle class and the poors.To me, it is such a easy logic, but it seems so many people do not understand and they do admire riches.He will be the mayor again and you will be squeezed out more & more if you are not rich.

自己紹介

I love animals, especially cats and Shiba inus. I love flowers too. Not having much reason to live, this depressive solitary nerd is too lazy to die. I think I would become a ghost and keep looking for my cats after my death.